Tapered cup wad

ABSTRACT

A combination shot cup and wad for a shotshell with a sealing base and a connecting structure attached to the bottom of the tapered shot cup which has a slitted sidewall tapering convergently away from the open end and toward a base disc which extends outwardly to the sidewall of the shotshell case.

[4 1 Mar. 27, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 Herter 102/42 C l02/42 C 54] TAPERED CUP WAD 1,470,655 10/1923 [75] Inventor: George L. Herter, Waseca, Mmn. 266 421 66 Commmd [73] Assignee: Herters, Inc., Waseca, Minn.

Primary ExaminerRobert F. Stahl AttorneyWilliamson, Palmatier & Bains, H. Dale Palmatter, Herman H. Bains and Malcolm L. Moore [22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [2]] App]. No.: 86,711

ABSTRACT A combination shot cup and wad for a shotshell with a sealing base and a connecting structure attached to the bottom of the tapered shot cup which has a slitted 65 2m mb 2 mn L12 mm NW6 0 1 "m Mmn "mm L?! o W d Std umm 211 555 [L[ sidewall tapering convergently away from the open [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS end and toward a base disc which extends outwardly to the sidewall of the shotshell case.

102/95 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZ 71975 I N VEN T 0R. GEOQGE 1.. MEQTE BY ATTOE/I/EI/S TAPERED CUP WAD BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The important aspects of this invention are the use of a tapered shot cup which is tapered convergently away from the open mouth of the shot cup for a shotshell and generally toward the sealing base which is spaced from the bottom of the shot cup by a suitable connecting structure. The connecting structure may be of any of a BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the combination shot cup and wad illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail section view of a portion of a shotshell case and the cup portion of the shot cup and wad at the instant of firing the shotshell which is confined in the chamber portion of a shotgun barrel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION One form of the invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein.

The combination shot cup and wad is indicated in general by numeral 10 and includes a shot cup 11, a

sealing base 12, and a connecting structure 13 which may or may not provide cushioning. The cup 11 has an open top or mouth end 14 and a closed bottom.

The entire combination shot cup and wad is formed in one piece of relatively soft and flexible polyethylene plastic, and is normally produced by injection molding.

The wall 15 of the cup has a plurality of elongateslits 16 extending through the open end of the cup and extending down into proximity with .the closed bottom of the cup so that the sidewall 15 of the cup defines a plurality of sidewall segments which may flare outwardly under the combined pressure of the shot within the cup and the air so as to quickly slow down the shot cup and wad after the cup leaves the muzzle of the shotgun barrel and quickly separate from the shot charge which is being ejected.

The upper portion 15a of the sidewall is substantially cylindrical in shape, and the lower portion 15b of the sidewall tapers inwardly to a reduced diameter adjacent the bottom of the cup. The tapered lower portion 15b of the cup wall is smoothly rounded in a longitudinal direction so that the degree of taper progressively changes from the substantially cylindrical portion of the cup sidewall to the lowermost portion of this sidewall.

The cup 11 is also provided with a base or bottom disc 17 formed integrally with the bottom of the. cup, and with the connecting structure 13. The disc 17 is of the same outside diameter as the diameter of the sealing base 12 so as to engage the sidewall 20 of a shotshell case, and as to engage andv guide along the interior periphery of the shotgun barrel 21 when the shotshell is fired.

It will be noted that the tapered lower portion 15b of the cup sidewall intersects with the disc 17 at a location inwardly from the circular periphery of the disc 17.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the cup 11 is formed of such a length, relative to the size of the shot charge 22 and relative to the length of the shotshellcase 20 so that the open mouth end 14 of the cup is spaced from the inwardly turned star crimp 23 at the end of the case wall 20. As a result of this spaced relation between the end of the cup 11 and the star crimp 23, the charge of shot, as distinguished from the end edge of the cup, applies the principal pressure for opening the crimp end of the case wall upon firing of the shotshell.

When the combined shot cup and wad 10 is inserted into a shotshell together with powder and shot charges, and the shotshell case is closed, a void remains at 17a adjacent the inwardly tapered lower portion of the cup wall and adjacent the disc 17.

In the form illustrated, the connecting structure 13 comprises a central post 18 with one or more discs 18a extending transversely outwardly to guide along the sidewall 20 of the shotshell case. Other forms of connecting structures may be utilized, in place of the post and disc, and such other forms may include ribs or webs which extend from the disc 17 to the sealing base 12.

The sealing base 12 is conventional and comprises a base wall 19 with a thin tapered flange 19a to flare outwardly and seal against the sidewall 20 of the shotshell case and subsequently against the barrel wall upon firing the shotshell.

When the combined shot cup and wad 10 have been inserted into a shotshell case over the charge of powder so that the sealing base 12 overlies the powder, and a charge of shot is inserted into the cup 11 and into the upper portion of the shotshell case so as to fill the case wall up to the location of the crimp, the shotshell may be fired in a shotgun whereupon the powder beneath the base 12 is suddenly ignited so as to create a sudden pressure beneath the sealing base to thrust the entire load of the shotshell forwardly toward the muzzle end of the barrel. As the forward thrust of the pressure is applied against the shot within the cup 11, the inertia of the shot tends to restrain movement of the shot and as a result of the taperedlower portion 15b of the shotshell cup sidewall and the disc 17, cushioning of the shot is effected. The cushioning occurs as a result of the deformation of the tapered lower portion 15b of the cup sidewall into the shape and condition substantially illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the void 17a around the entire periphery of the tapered sidewall portion 15b and above the disc 17 is substantially closed. The deformation of the tapered wall portion starts adjacent the acute angled intersection between the tapered sidewall and the disc 17 and then the deformation of the sidewall progressively moves outwardly so that the lower tapered portion of the sidewall substantially conforms to the interior shape of the case sidewall 20 and to the shape of the disc 17. It will be noted that because the connecting structure 13 engages the disc 17 at a location spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of disc 17, the disc 17- will flex or bow slightly during ignition of the powder and acceleration of the shot'charge so as to provide additional cushioning.

After the shot charge and combination shot cup and wad have exited the muzzle of the barrel, the sidewall segments will flare outwardly under combined influence of the shot in the cup and the air pressure so as to quickly decelerate the cup and wad 10 and allow the charge of shot 22 to proceed by itself toward the target.

The combination shot cup and wad 10 will rapidly decelerate and fall to the ground only a few yards down range.

After the combination shot cup and wad 10 has exited the muzzle of the gun, the tapered lower portion b of the cup wall resiliently returns, substantially to its original shape.

The flexing of this tapered lower portion of the cup wall and the cushioning effect provided thereby tends to decrease the rate of acceleration of the shot charge and tends to decrease the shot-to-shot pressure and, as a result, the deformation of the shot. Of course, as the tapered lower portion of the cup wall changes its shape, the shot in the cup will move around slightly relative to each other so that all of the shot-to-shot pressure is not applied against any one shot all in one location and, as a result, the tendency is to prevent extreme flattening of shot at any one location.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination shot cup and over powder wad for a shotshell, comprising:

a sealing base of resiliently yieldable and flexible plastic to overlie the powder in the shotshell case and to engage the sidewall of the case,

a connecting structure of such plastic and-formed integrally of the base, and

a shot cup of such plastic and having a base disc on the connecting structure and formed integrally with the connecting structure, said disc lying transverse to the cup axis to engage the sidewall of the case, the cup also including a peripheral cup wall formed integrally of and connected to the disc and having an upper substantially cylindrical portion adjacent the open top of the shot cup, the upper portion of the cup wall having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slits, and the cup wall also having a lower portion tapering convergently to the base disc and smoothly rounded in a longitudinal direction, said lower portion joining the base disc at a location spaced inwardly from the peripheral edge of the disc to normally diverge from the sidewall of the shotshell case and flex outwardly against the case sidewall and against the base disc to provide cushioning during acceleration of the shot.

2. A combination shot cup and over powder wad for a shotshell according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the peripheral cup wall being substantially cylindrical adjacent the open top of the shot cup, the cup wall also having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slits extending longitudinally through the upper portion of the cup or wall and into and through a substantial portion of the smoothly rounded and convergent ly tapered lower portion of the cup wall to relieve tension on the cup wall against the pressure of shot within the cup while continuing to confine the shot therein. 

1. A combination shot cup and over powder wad for a shotshell, comprising: a sealing base of resiliently yieldable and flexible plastic to overlie the powder in the shotshell case and to engage the sidewall of the case, a connecting structure of such plastic and formed integrally of the base, and a shot cup of such plastic and having a base disc on the connecting structure and formed integrally with the connecting structure, said disc lying transverse to the cup axis to engage the sidewall of the case, the cup also including a peripheral cup wall formed integrally of and connected to the disc and having an upper substantially cylindrical portion adjacent the open top of the shot cup, the upper portion of the cup wall having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slits, and the cup wall also having a lower portion tapering convergently to the base disc and smoothly rounded in a longitudinal direction, said lower portion joining the base disc at a location spaced inwardly from the peripheral edge of the disc to normally diverge from the sidewall of the shotshell case and flex outwardly against the case sidewall and against the base disc to provide cushioning during acceleration of the shot.
 2. A combination shot cup and over powder wad for a shotshell according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the peripheral cup wall being substantially cylindrical adjacent the open top of the shot cup, the cup wall also having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slits extending longitudinally through the upper portion of the cup or wall and into and through a substantial portion of the smoothly rounded and convergently tapered lower portion of the cup wall to relieve tension on the cup wall against the pressure of shot within the cup while continuing to confine the shot therein. 